Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Avoid blinking or being distracted
• Method 2 of 2: Break your opponent
• Tips
• Warnings

A staring contest is a contest in which two people stare into each other's eyes until one of them blinks, smiles, or looks away. The first person to do this loses the match. There are a number of ways to increase your chances of winning, such as developing techniques to keep your eyes moist or to distract your opponent. This article will teach you how to win a staring contest using these techniques.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Avoid blinking or being distracted

1. Set the rules. It is important to establish criteria for winning and losing the game before starting so that you are not distracted during the game.
   • Decide with your opponent exactly what the rules are before you start to avoid a conflict later on.
   • Some rules say the game is over as soon as someone blinks, looks away, or laughs.
   • Other competitions require you not to make funny faces or wave your hands in front of your opponent.
2. Wet your eyes before you start. You won't be able to blink for a long time, so getting your eyes as moist as you can before starting is the best choice.
   • Close your eyes nice and long and hard just before the match starts.
   • Yawn if you can to produce some tears.
   • Avoid eye drops and face creams. It's better to avoid things that can make your eyes itch or make them irritated, as these things can make you blink.
   • All of these things will help your eyes not feel dry and itchy during the match.
3. Try to relax and stay calm. If you become uncomfortable or anxious, you are more likely to be distracted or blink.
   • If you can, sit or stand in a comfortable position.
   • Don't strain your eyes.
   • Don't focus too hard on the person facing you.
4. Let your thoughts drift. If you focus too intensely on your opponent or on winning, you can make a mistake.
   • Most people stare straight ahead without blinking when deep in thought.
   • Think about a topic that you find very interesting and focus all your mental energy on it.
   • Don't leave your thoughts though to wander around a lot, otherwise you might look away!
5. Now and then squint your eyes slightly. This can help when your eyes start to feel dry.
   • When you feel like you can't handle the dryness anymore and think you should blink, close your eyes slightly.
   • This will help get some moisture back into your eyes.
   • Try to make this subtle. Squinting too much can make it look like you blinked.
6. Practice in front of the mirror. This can help you build your time without blinking and practice avoiding distractions.
   • If you keep losing stare matches, practice with them.
   • Gaze into your bathroom mirror and use a timer to measure how long you can go without blinking.
   • Try to go for a longer amount of time each time you practice.

Method 2 of 2: Break your opponent

1. Know your opponent. You can win faster when you know the weaknesses of your opponent (s).
   • If your opponent is easily distracted, it can help you.
   • Know how long your opponent can go without blinking, and aim to keep your eyes open for at least that long.
   • Find out what makes your opponent laugh.
2. Make your opponent laugh.
   • Make strange faces or make strange noises.
   • Open your eyes wide or squeeze them tight.
   • Tell jokes to make your opponent laugh.
   • Be careful not to let yourself laugh while doing this or you will lose!
3. Try to distract your opponent. Try to make him or her look away or blink.
   • Swing your hands at the sides to make a distracting motion.
   • Snip on the side with your fingers to distract your opponent with sound.
   • Try to drop something to make your opponent look away.
4. Stay focused. Your opponent will likely try to distract you in similar ways.
   • Think about something that makes you angry or sad. This will help you not to laugh.
   • Acknowledge when your opponent is doing something funny, but don't let yourself react.
   • Avoid listening to sounds or other distractions.
   • Gaze directly into your opponent's pupils to avoid looking at other parts of his or her face.

Tips

• Practice against a baby. They usually only blink once every few minutes.
• Try not to start squinting too early; this can cause you to blink and lose the game.
• When you are reading you blink less often. So try to read more often; this will help your brain and improve your chances of winning, plus it's fun!
• If you wear contact lenses, they also help a lot. Lenses keep your eyes moist so you have to blink less often.
• The more you think about not blinking, the more likely you will.
• Practice with your mom, dad, brother, sister, or friend!

Warnings

• Be careful when choosing an animal as your exercise partner. Staring at some animals (dogs or cats, for example) can be seen as a defiant or aggressive act by the animal, potentially causing a bite or attack.